Microalbuminuria as a predictor of early glomerular injury in children with sickle cell disease

Objective : A cross sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of microalbuminuria in the pediatric patients with sickle cell disease.Methods : The study was carried out on 64 pediatric patients aged less than 14 years with documented HbSS, HbAS and HbS beta thalassemia, Microalbuminuria was estimated using single radial immuno diffusion technique. Majority of the study subjects were of HbSS type. 38.5% had symptoms for >2 years. 18.8% of the study population had significant microalbuminuria (19.2% of SS types and 18.8% of Hb AS types).Result : Microalbuminuria excretion was significantly more in patients >9 years of age as compared to young patients (p<0.05). Mean serum creatinine levels did not show any significant difference in the various study groups.Conclusion : Microalbuminuria estimation is a very important clinical marker of preclinical glomerular damage in patients with sickle cell disease. Its estimation would help in the early detection of such patients and prompt initiation of therapy.